Detroit City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting – September 3, 2025
Detroit City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting – September 3, 2025
The Detroit City Council Committee of the Whole met on September 3, 2025, to hear public comments, conduct interviews for the Brownfield Redevelopment Citizens Advisory Council (CAC), discuss contracts for audiovisual production services, and consider multiple settlement agreements and other routine matters. The meeting began with public comment limited to two minutes per speaker, with nine virtual participants. Notable discussions centered on bus service improvements, retiree concerns, solar takings, and equity in media coverage.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Miko A. Williams thanked Detroit for recent voter turnout, expressed support for justice and democracy, and called for liberation of the city from control by the rich and white.
- Sean Help Cunningham requested cleaner bus stops, benches for elderly riders, and better on-time performance. Councilmember Mary Waters agreed and noted the need for trash cans at stops.
- Cunningham (second caller) reported that residents feel council does not care about bus services; urged council to improve transit and provided his community hotline number.
- Not That Karen spoke on behalf of retirees, noting no cost-of-living adjustment in 12 years, and requested elimination of the clawback and equal treatment with public safety retirees. Also complained about an overgrown city parking lot on West McNichols and asked for blue recycle bins. Councilmember Angela Winfo Callaway responded that $500,000 was secured in the budget for recycle bins.
- William M. Davis agreed with retiree concerns, criticized the city for not renegotiating bankruptcy-era deals (Great Lakes Water Authority, Bell Lao), and called for better stewardship.
- You Matter criticized the city’s handling of solar takings, alleged conflict of interest involving Byron Osburn serving on both the Board of Zoning Appeals and Community Advisory Council, and demanded better oversight of Detroit Police body cameras and building cameras.
- Tyson Gersh argued that the city does not need certified court reporters at zoning hearings; municipalities record and post online. He questioned why appellants must pay nearly $5,000 for transcripts to challenge decisions.
- Mr. Ronald Foster urged council to protect free speech and stop retaliating against critics, and called for transparency regarding lobbyists and dark money in public comment.
Discussion Items
- Brownfield Redevelopment CAC Reappointments (Line Items 5 & 6): Interviews were conducted with Marlo Sean Franklin and George Etheridge. Franklin highlighted his 75% attendance and focus on community engagement. Etheridge noted 99% attendance, discussed his experience as a former council policy analyst, and emphasized the need for community voice in brownfield developments. Councilmember Callaway requested that the Law Department and Legislative Policy Division explore establishing a brownfield district in the James Cousins area to revitalize vacant properties.
- AV Production Services Contracts (Line Items 7.1–7.4): Communications Director Vicky Thomas and Media Services Admin Director Myesha Crawford presented a tiered approach to split a previous single contract into four tiers to include smaller Detroit-based companies. Contracts: Mish Brew Multimedia ($250,000), Good Boy Records ($90,000), SR Audio ($134,000), and Creative Day ($502,000, two-year total). Councilmembers raised concerns that Creative Day, based in Troy, Michigan, receives the lion’s share, and questioned whether mileage fees are included. Councilmember Callaway and Councilmember Johnson expressed frustration that Media Services prioritizes the Mayor over council events, citing several instances of inadequate coverage (e.g., summer sizzler, band shell reveal, MGM event). Thomas responded that her goal is equitable coverage and committed to improving. A motion to approve all four contracts passed without objection.
- Settlement for Dorothy McGillrath & Diane Davis (Line Item 7.8): Councilmember Callaway asked whether the employee who caused the accident was disciplined or still driving. Law Department did not have the answer; the item was brought back in one week.
- Other Settlements (Line Items 7.9, 8.1–8.11): Multiple settlement requests were approved or brought back for questions. Notable: 7.9 ($80,000, DPW) approved after clarification that e-scooters are allowed on sidewalks; 8.1 corrected to $1,551,320 for legal representation; 8.3 and 8.4 (DDOT) held for questions; 8.5 (police) held; others approved.
- Appointment to Detroit Wayne Joint Building Authority (Line Item 7.5): Councilmember Letitia Johnson’s reappointment of Byron Osburn was approved after receiving favorable legal opinion.
- Unmanned Aerial Systems Contract (Line Item 7.6): Three-year contract with Airspace Link for $397,803 approved.
- Debarment Ordinance (Line Item 7.19): Motion to bring back in one month.
Key Outcomes
- Approved by motion (sent to formal): Line items 7.1–7.4 (AV production contracts), 7.5 (Byron Osburn appointment), 7.6 (drone contract), 7.9 (settlement $80,000), 8.1 (legal representation contract, as amended), 8.2 (settlement $75,000), 8.6–8.11 (settlements ranging $10,000–$325,000), 8.14 (medical/dental/vision rates resolution), and 8.15 (supervisors labor agreement resolution).
- Brought back for future dates: Line items 5 and 6 (Brownfield reappointments – date to be determined), 7.8 (settlement – one week), 8.3 ($43,500 – one week), 8.4 ($295,000 – one week), 8.5 ($44,000 – one week), 7.10 and 7.12–7.18 (closed session – date to be determined), 7.19 (debarment ordinance – one month).
- Received and filed: Line items 7.7 (legal opinion on multiple board service), 7.11 (memo on independent legal counsel), 7.20 (tax abatements for urban agriculture), 8.12 (Board of Ethics report), 8.13 (campaign contribution disclosures), 8.16 (ombudsman interview list).
- New business: Councilmember Callaway established a motion to direct LPD and Law Department to investigate a brownfield district for the James Cousins corridor. The motion passed without objection.
- Member reports: Councilmember Johnson announced a skilled trade task force meeting on September 17. Councilmember Callaway reported several upcoming district events and raised a formal complaint about a district manager pre-announcing a street name change without council approval.
Meeting Transcript
Member Letitia Johnson. Councilmember Mary Waters. Present. Councilmember Angela Winfo Callaway. Madam Vice Chair Decorn. All right, and thank you. And um Member Johnson did indicate that she's running a little late. Clerk will center. Thank you. All right. So we'll go to uh public comments and at two minutes. Public comment will be cut off at 1005. How many uh do we have here in the nobody's in the committee of the whole? Uh how many do we have online? Morning, madam chair. We have nine hands raised for virtual public comment. All right. Then thank you. Everybody will get two minutes, and we can go ahead and proceed. The first caller is Miko A. Williams. Uh, good morning, Miko A. Williams. How are you? Good morning, Councilmember Waters. How are you this morning? I'm fine, thank you. Shout out to you and Mrs. Callaway, two strong women of the of this body, and I uh in this council. I really much appreciate you guys uh doing the work that you do. Uh welcome back from recess. Um I just want to reiterate my comments from uh yesterday to make it plain and clear, you know, uh to Detroit citizens. But first, I wanted to say thank you, Detroit. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, times 100 for voting in our election. I understand we have a short uh we had a short turnout, we didn't have many people, but you did the you did the thing. That's okay. We just got to get people to the part to the generals and to the general election. And the smoke cleared, and now we are a city in mourning and healing, and we're also in need of protection surrounding many of the issues and situations going on in our fair city. Um, I just want to say I love all my neighbors. When I was at the Jazz Fest on Monday, I know I I I criticized it, but I saw many people in my community. Those people that I love, those I don't like, others that I can't stand, and those that's that have uh been in the midst, but that's okay. You know, we're all a community, and we just have to learn how to live with each other and how to do better for our city. We want our city to move forward and thrive. We want it to be the terrace of the Midwest, and we are a world-class city. Never forget that. We're the stars and champions and underdogs that make the city what it is today. And uh, I will continue to stand for justice, for democracy, for liberty, and for freedom in the pursuit of happiness in our city for all these traders and not just some that are rich and white that want to control everything. But that's all right, we're gonna break through and we will liberate this city. Thank you so much for taking my comment. And ladies, please have a great day.
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